Me:  You really should care about the state of politics in Washington State.
You: Boring...Why should I care about politics in Washington State?
Me: Balance Grasshopper, balance.
You: Very Funny Obi-Wan, can you be more specific?
Me:  Uh, Obi-Wan is Star Wars, Grasshopper is an homage to David Carradine's character Kwai Chang Caine, the peace-loving Shaolin monk in the TV series Kung Fu.
You: Whatever, why should I care about the state of politics in our state?

Politics, Like Business, Is Better With Better competition

Me:  Because research shows that people, like you and me, are BETTER served by a balance political landscape, something Washington hasn't experienced in decades.
Background Check - Assuming you relegate Jay Inslee to Western Washington, the most recent governor to be from Eastern Washington was our 11th Governor, Clarence Martin (a Democrat) from Cheney who was elected almost 90 years ago in 1932.
Our current governor, Democrat Jay Inslee won in 2012, 2016 and 2020 (one of only 3 three-time Governors)  anchors the longest current streak of Democratic governors in the nation, with the last Republican to hold the office being John Spellman who was elected in 1981!
What this new research shows is that when the Democrats and Republicans are in close competition with each other in a state, its people benefit more than when it's either a significantly Democratic or significantly Republican state.

Balance Grasshopper, Balance.

Researchers at the University of Rochester and UC San Diego say states that have tight competition between the two parties for political control often end up passing measures that improve the quality of life for the people living there. Researchers say people in deep blue or deep red states have a lower life expectancy, lower levels of education, and less income in comparison to people in swing states.

So, THAT'S WHY you should be concerned about the one-party choke-hold the Democrats have on Washington State politics.  Single-Party politics don't serve "We the people", as well as a more competitive political climate, would.

You: So, BALANCE, right?

Work Harder, Work Better

Me:  So why does it happen? The study suggests that when one party holds too much power for too long, (Like The Dems in Washington State) politicians pass more so-called pork-barrel projects that only benefit a small number of residents. But when the parties have to fight for control, those in power pursue programs to help many people in order to boost the reputation of their party.

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